Safety flashlight with interchangeably mounted sheath



Nov. 1, 1949 H. J. SZEKLINSK] SAFETY FL'ASHLIGHT WITH INTERCHANGEABLY MOUNTED SHEATH Filed June 19, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Nov. 1, 1949 SAFETY FLASHLIGHT WITH INTERCHANGE- ABLY MOUNTED SHEATH Harry J. Szeklinski, Milwaukee, Wis. Application June 19, 1948, Serial No. 34,052 .6 Claims. (01. 177327) This invention relates to improvements in safety flashlight with interchangeably mounted sheath.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a safety flashlight wherein a standard flashlight has incorporated therewith a sheath adapted for interchangeable mounting from a barrel sheathing position to an extended position wherein it may form an illuminated baton for police or traflic oflicer use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety flashlight having incorporated therewith an interchangeably positioned sheath of suitably colored translucent plastic material which, when in one position on the flashlight, provides an attractive sheathing for the entire body thereof and which, when in another position, forms an extended baton through which the beams of light from the flashlight will pass.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a standard flashlight, an interchangeable translucent sheath formed with light deflecting ribs to cause certain of the light rays emanating from the flashlight to pass through the colored walls of the sheath.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in combination with a standard flashlight,- a sheath adapted in one position-to form a'baton extension for the flashlight'and in another position, to snugly enclose the entire flashlight body and to be releasably retained thereon.

A further object of the invention is to provide with a flashlight a combination sheath and baton attachment which is inexpensive and which may be interchangeably engaged with a standard flashlight without modification of the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a safety flashlight which is of very simple construction, which is strong and durable, which is neat and attractive in appearance, and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the improved safety flashlight and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig, 1 is a side view of the improved safety flashlight with the interchangeable sheath in its normal sheathing position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 only showing the sheath in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the safety flashlight with the sheath in its extended baton-forming position, part of the sheath being broken awayv and in section to show structural details; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, detail sec tional View of the sheath.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 8 designates a standard two-cell flashlight having a tubular barrel with a belled outeren-d portion 9. A sheath, adapted for interchangeable mounting on the flashlight 8 is indicated generally by the numeral I0. Said sheath is preferably formed of a molded plastic which is translucent and is colored red so that when the sheath is in the extended or baton-forming position of Fig. 3 and the flashlight is operated, it will form an illuminated red baton or torch. Generally speaking, the sheath l0 follows the contour of the flashlight 8, except that the barrel is slightly tapered away from its belled end for a purpose later to be mentioned, and as is shown in the drawing. Formed in a wall portion of the sheath i0 is an elongated opening ll extendingfrom the belled portion toward the opposite end of the sheath. When the member Hl'is used merely as a sheathing enclosure for the flashlight 8, the latter has its end remote from the bell inserted into the belled end of the sheath and is advanced in the sheath until the condition of Fig, 2 is attained. The elongated slot I I, which extends into the belled portion, permits accommodation of the protruding flashlightswitch butt-on l2. In the sheathing position of the memher 10, the reduced end of the barrel of the sheath frictionally engages a barrel portion of the flashlight and the belled portion of the sheath likewise frictionally engages the belled extremity of the flashlight. Additionally, the latter is provided with protuberances l3 which are adapted to snap into slots l4 therefor in the belled portion of the sheath. The belled portion of the sheath is additionally slightly resilient or yieldable, and this is enhanced by slots l5 therein.

When the composite flashlight structure is in the condition shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the flashlight may, of course, be used in its accustomed manner, and the sheath in simply forms an attractive decorative jacket or cover for the entire flashlight. Should a police officer desire to use the flashlight for directing tramc or should a motorist'or other owner desire to use the flashlight as a signal or warning in an emergency, then the sheath is interchanged from its position of Fig. 1 to its position of Fig. 3. This is accomplished by removing the sheath from the flashlight and reversing the sheath to engage its belled end with the belled endof the flashlight and the sheath is retained in the position of Fig. 3 through the frictional engagement of the parts and through the protuberances l3 which snap into the apertures Id.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the interior of the barrel of the sheath is formed with a series of spaced-apart annular shouldered ribs it. These ribs present shoulders It in the direction of light rays emanating from the flashlight when the sheath is in the position of Fig. 3, which shoulders taper. A characteristic of certain plastics is that light rays striking surface portions of such plastics will follow the contour. Therefore, in the present sheath I ll, which is preferably of plastic, the taper of the barrel portion and the interior ribs assures the deflection of some of the light rays emanating from the flashlight outwardly through the translucent wall of the sheath in the manner shown by the arrows in Fig. 4. This will cause the body of the sheath, when it is in the position of Fig. 3, to be colored red and to have a red light emanate therefrom and additionally, other light rays will pass outwardly through the reduced end of the cylindrical sheath Hi.

It is obvious that the improved sheath can normally be used in the flashlight-enclosing position of Fig. l which therefore renders the flashlight compact and attractive. When it is desired to use the device as an illuminated safety baton, the sheath may be quickly changed from its normal position to the extended position of Fig. 3.

The improved safety flashlight is of simple and novel construction, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a flashlight having a cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlight having a switch protuberance, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped similarly to the flashlight and of a size to normally enclose the flashlight in one position, there being an elongated opening in a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath extending forwardly thereof to provide an illuminatable baton.

2. The combination with a flashlight having a, cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlight having a switch protuberance, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped similarly to the flashlight and of a size to normally enclose the flashlight in one position, there being an elongated opening in a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath extending forwardly thereof to provide an illuminatable baton, there being cooperating means on the belled ends of the flashlight and sheath to releasably retain the belled end of the sheath on the belled end of the flashlight in either position of the sheath.

3. The combination with a flashlight having a cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlight having a switch protuberance, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped similarly to the flashlight and of a size to noran elongated opening in mally enclose the flashlight in one position, there being an elongated opening in a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath extending forwardly thereof to provide an i1- luminatable baton, there being cooperating protuberances and aperture means on the belled ends of the flashlight and sheath to releasably retain the belled end of the sheath on the belled end of the flashlight in either position of the sheath.

4. The combination with a flashlight having a cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlight having a switch protuberance, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped similarly to the flashlight and of a size to normally enclose the flashlight in one position, there being a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath ex tending forwardly thereof to provide an illuminatable baton, there being cooperating protuberances and aperture means on the belled ends of the flashlight and sheath to releasably retain the belled end of the sheath on the belled end of the flashlight in either position of the sheath, there being slots in the belled end of the sheath to augment the flexibility of the stock thereadjacent.

5. The combination with a flashlight having a cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlights having a switch'protuberance intermediate its ends, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped generally similarly to the flashlight and of a size to normally enclose the flashlight in one position, the sheath being formed of a translucent material and its cylindrical body being tapered toward the end remote from the belled end, light ray deflecting ribs formed on inner wall portions of the sheath, there being an elongated opening in a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath extending forwardly thereof to provide an illuminatable baton.

6. The combination with a flashlight having a cylindrical body and a belled outer end, the body of the flashlight having a switch protuberance, of an interchangeably mounted sheath shaped generally similarly to the flashlight and of a size to normally enclose the flashlight in one position, the sheath being formed of a red, translucent plastic material, there being an elongated opening in a wall portion of the sheath extending from its belled outer end inwardly to accommodate the switch protuberance of the flashlight, the sheath also being reversibly engageable with the flashlight with the belled end of the sheath engaging the belled end of the flashlight and with the body of the sheath' extending forwardly thereof to provide an illuminatable red baton,

there being cooperating protuberance and aperture means on the belled ends of the flashlight and sheath to releasably retain the belled end of the sheath on the belled end of the flashlight in either position of the sheath, there being longitudinally directed slots in the belied end of the sheath to augment the flexibility of the stock thereadjacent for facilitating engagement and disengagement of said protuberance and aperture means.

HARRY J. SZEKLINSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,179,777 Davis NOV. 14, 1939 2,242,981 Pedersen May 20, 1941 2,362,131 Haggart, Jr. Nov. '7, 1944 2,431,091 Thomas Nov. 18, 194': 

